The Wichita Grand Opera is featuring Wichita native Chris Mann, in collaboration with world-famous conductor Steven Mercurio, in a re-visitation of last year's successful gala production of Chris Mann: Home for Christmas.
Mann is returning after a national tour of Phantom of the Opera, selected by Andrew Lloyd Webber to play the title character. Steven Mercurio has conducted for such artists as Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Sting and the Royal Philharmonic, and Andrea Bocelli. Home for Christmas 2 will include a blend of holiday and pop classics and more, with the support of guest artists, Kansan soprano soloists Janie Brokenicky and Claire Gerig.
If you have always wanted to attend the opera, but are uncertain about the expectations regarding dress and behavior, the Wichita Grand Opera provides a helpful FAQ on their website that will reassure even the most nervous first-timer. It's easy! Plan to arrive up to an hour early; concessions in the lobby include various snacks and a variety of beverages, including wines, beers, and cocktails. Home for Christmas 2 is onstage December 1st, at 7 pm in the Century II Concert Hall.
If you're looking for laughs, the Grammy Award-winning comedian Lewis Black will be performing his stand-up act, The Joke's On Us Tour, onstage at the Orpheum Theatre. Black has released eight comedy albums, published three bestselling books, and, perhaps unsurprisingly, played the character “Anger” in the Pixar film, Inside Out. Lewis Black performs at the Orpheum on December 7th at 8 pm.
